Victoria is set to ease capacity restrictions and reintroduce dancing at live entertainment venues, after the state recorded its seventh consecutive day of zero local COVID-19 cases.
In a press conference this morning, Victorian Health Minister Martin Foley announced capacity limits on most venues would be replaced by a density quotient of one person per two square metres.
Dancefloors will be allowed again, provided there is a COVID marshal, with no more than 50 people on the dancefloor at one time.
Outdoor stadiums will be allowed to operate at 75 per cent capacity with up to 40,000 people. Theatres will have a 2,000-person cap, while indoor stadiums or arenas can run at a 7,500-person limit.
The changes will come into effect from 11:59PM AEST Thursday (July 8), and stay in place for a fortnight subject to changing health advice.
The mask mandate will also be removed from offices, but remain in other public-facing workplaces including music venues. A limit on private in-home gatherings will remain the same at 15 people.
“Victoria needs [to] look no further than the outbreak across our border to know the risks of Covid spreading at big gatherings inside the home,” Foley said.
The Victorian news comes as NSW announces it will extend its lockdown of Greater Sydney for a further week, as the state struggles to contain its COVID-19 outbreak.